I’m so torn about Vespertine. There are certainly aspects of it that I deeply enjoyed while reading, but I can’t help feeling that this is a book I didn’t fully connect with. It’s almost as though the bones are all there, but there’s just not enough meat for me to develop any sort of attachment.

I feel like I should want to return to this story and to this realm, and yet I’m just very ambivalent about it all. And the wild thing is that the book overall had some truly fascinating and engaging plot points! When I think back, I love all that happened plot wise, but I’m annoyed as hell that I’m not emotionally attached to anyone.

So…I’m just stuck.

To start off, I want to say that I really enjoyed this book. All of the characters were great and they were extremely well written. I also loved the world building. when I was reading this book I was easily transported into the world.
the writing style was also great, it was easy to follow and picture what was going on. I'm a reader who needs that and some authors fall short in that but Margaret Rogerson did not.

Overall I would give this 4/5 starts and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who reads. Well done.

omg I loved this book so much!! I also didn't realize it wasn't a standalone, and I'm SO EXCITED to learn that there's gonna be a sequel! Give me more of Artemisia and her Revenant!!

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson was interesting. I don’t know any other way to describe it. This book is very unique. There was a lot going on in Vespertine. Many times I felt super confused.

Artemisia is at odds with most people around her and she doesn’t feel like she fits into her school (which is Ran by the Grey Sisters who originally discovered and rescued Artemisia). The book is a bit all over the place and I didn’t love it as much as Rogerson’s other books. I would still read the sequel.

1You can taste the Murder Bot influence in this one, as well as the dark place Rogerson said she wrote it from. Similarities between this and Sorcery of Thorns could be seen through the world building, magic system, themes, the Revenant, and characters, all of which are delightful.

I'm convinced we need more chosen one stories featuring heros and heroines who have bad anxiety, dislike crowds, and never know the right thing to say. A handful of times when people looked to Artemisia for direction and inspiring speeches, she didn't know what to say and freeze up. A friend would step in and help her out of the situation.

This feels and looks like dark YA fantasy but at the same time there's something less violent and and depressing and more hopeful and light about it than anything I've read in recent years. If you need something YA masquerading as dark isn't totally that, this is a solid bet.

I wasn’t sure this concept would be for me, but I’ve loved Rogerson’s other work and this ended up being no exception. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the Gray Sisters quite a lot.

A lovely, sweeping fantasy book that had me enraptured. Margaret Rogerson is dominating yet again with Vespertine! I found myself connecting with Artemisia and her struggles as I followed the story with her, and her growth was enthralling to see unfold amongst a harsh yet lush Medieval-style world. It held a deeply satisfying and intricate plot that I was all too happy to get lost in.

Will be posted on Forever Young Adult's blog on August 29.

Content Warning: There are some references to past trauma / child abuse (not sexual in nature) endured by the main character.

Cover Story: Excellently Drawn

There’s no way Artemisia’s drab gray nun dress ever looked so chic, but for everything else I love the cover. It’s foreboding, and her direct stare (which is mentioned several times in text) is intense. The ravens and the mist making up the background gives the image so much movement. Charlie Bowater always delivers.

The Deal:

As a Sighted novice, Artemisia would love nothing more than to stay at her convent attending to the dead of Loraille. After all, the dead don’t stare and whisper rumors about you killing your family behind your back. But when her home is attacked by thralled soldiers possessed by the spirits of the dead, Artemisia finds herself the unwitting vessel for a revenant—a spirit of the highest order with a power that destroyed cities, at least, until it was bound to its reliquary and protected by the nuns for the last few centuries. Now she’s no longer alone, even inside her own head, and there’s someone out there who is bringing chaos back to the land.

Can Artemisia find a way to work together with the malevolent spirit overtaking her mind, or will she find herself a possessed and lost in a hunger that isn’t hers?

BFF Charm: Heck Yes!, Honorary Platinum

No way Artemisia would ever accept my BFF charm, but if she ever did, I would know I was doing something right. Artemisia has had a rough childhood (I’ll let her tell you more about it) and no one would blame her for staying curled up in a ball in a corner or keeping everyone at arm’s length forever. But my girl has too much silent strength and fortitude to do either! Artemisia at the start has had time to work on some of her past trauma, but the connections she forges with other characters throughout the novel go so much further towards helping her heal. At one point, I even got a little teary when she started to open up on her own.

And while we’re never quite IN the revenant’s head, shout-out to Artemisia’s constant companion; my favorite kind of reluctant ally: a snarky, smart, all-powerful yet emotionally wounded and morally gray magical being who makes me want to squeeze them even though I’ll probably bleed for it.

Swoonworthy Scale: 0

It would’ve been way weirder (and all kinds of ickier) if Rogerson made the connection between Artemisia and the revenant romantic. I’ll admit it may have taken me longer than it should have to pick this up and start reading because I usually want a side of romance in my stories, but this absolutely didn’t need it.

Talky Talk: You Know What I Like

I am rereading my review for my last Rogerson book, and I realize the two have a very similar starting point, which I like to lovingly call “the Frodo effect”:

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.

“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

We’ve got someone content to live in the background and stay within their small but comfortable lane, and, then, BAM. Craziness ensues. (Obviously this didn’t originate with Frodo and is a very common story-telling device, but that quote immediately comes to mind when I recognize it.)

Anyway, my point is, many of my favorite fantasies start off this way. And along our journey together, Vespertine reminded me of what I love about reading fantasy. Interesting world-building with a cool magic system. Character growth that builds over time, with reveals coming at the perfect moments to put context to what we read before. A strong emphasis on friendships, morality, and self-reflection.

I get the same happy warm-and-fuzzies reading Rogerson’s writing that I get when I read my other fave fantasy authors that rarely let me down (Tamora Pierce, Garth Nix, Phillip Pullman, or Katherine Arden, to name a few). Rogerson is certainly earning herself a solid spot amongst those hallowed names.

Bonus Factor: Found Family

The revenant is prickly and rude, but it’s met its match in a girl who isn’t afraid to stare blankly at someone with all the social graces of a stone wall. Artemisia wants to say the right thing, but she’s never had much practice with a past that keeps her emotionally closed off. I always love a good friendship, especially ones forged by intense situations where putting your trust in someone else could mean the difference between life and death.

Bonus Factor: World-Building

Rogerson’s world of Loraille is a Middle Ages-esque European setting where the dead who aren’t consecrated properly can become malevolent spirits, depending on the nature of their demise. Some are fairly harmless, like children’s wisps, while others can cause plague or fire or blight with a touch. There’s Old Magic and religious leadership that is neither perfectly good nor evil. There was still plenty more to learn—which perhaps may come about in the second book. (Luckily, this book wraps up in a very satisfying way while still leaving future possibilities open!)

Factor: Religion

The Lady of Death is a mysterious and ambiguous figure in Vespertine: it seems she does deign to occasionally answer prayers directly, but her motivations are not always clear. Then, like anything, there is the human element of religion, and the idea that certain truths may have been lost or twisted over the centuries to suit a particular way of thinking.

Relationship Status: MFEO

I loved your siblings, Book, so it’s no wonder that I have an affinity for you since you share so many of the same traits. I’m not religious, but I have faith that you won’t steer me wrong.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Margaret K. McElderry Books. I received neither money nor peanut butter cups in exchange for this review. Vespertine is available now.

I was expecting this book too be like enchant of ravens, its definitely not. Its very different and a little difficult to read at times. I struggled through most of the book even though parts were enticing.

The cover is just gorgeous, I love it. And I don't read a lot of stories with revenants, so I was excited for this one. But, in the end, I just thought it was okay.

The beginning is pretty quick - and you are suddenly in the action. I found the mc's endless compassion and understanding a bit. . .grating? Unrealistic? I'm not sure, I just know I wouldn't be as lax about things in my mind as she was. As it progressed, I just didn't follow the mc's thinking or her frame of mind, so I was a bit bored and pulled out of the story.

I wish I'd liked it more.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I apologize but I was not able to finish this book. I was in a different headspace at the time of requesting / recieving this book and the time I got it.

4.5 stars

I’ve read and enjoyed Rogerson’s previous releases, and honestly I was more excited for this one than I was for the other two. And it mostly lived up to the expectations. Honestly I marked it down the half star because I started this book two or three times and would only read a few chapters and then set the book aside for months. Now, that could just be because of the reading slump I was in, so I might re-read this book and re-evaluate my rating.

The whole vibe of this story made me think of clerics in Dungeons & Dragons, and I’m pretty much always up for that sort of a tale. And I’m going to be completely honest here…so much of this story resonated with my current D&D character. Almost everything about Artemisia reminded me of my D&D character, and that’s a great thing and a not great thing at the same time…because I’m writing a book following her and her friends adventures. Hopefully my story will be different enough that people don’t think I’m ripping off this book.

I enjoyed the worldbuilding of this story, especially since there was a lot of religious lore to develop, as well as world history, and coming up with all the different levels of undead beings for the story.

Once I actually got myself into the story, I really couldn’t stop. I read the whole thing in only a few hours…and then I felt bad for having put the book down so many times before. I think I read the first two or three chapters like three times. I was always interested in the story, and the way the book started was really interesting. It’s why I could re-read it and still really enjoy it.

The relationship between Artemisia and the Revenant was a complex one, and I found it to be quite fascinating. Actually, our Vespertine main character just had really intriguing relations and interactions with several of the characters in here, because of the fact that she wasn’t very good at connecting with people.

I thought this was supposed to be a duology, which would be interesting since the previous books were standalones, but I don’t see anything on Goodreads or anything about another book. I would like to see more in the Vespertine world.

Overall

There was never a doubt in my mind that I needed to read this book. After finishing Sorcery of Thorns and realizing that Margaret Rogerson had another book in the works, I just couldn’t freaking wait! Let me tell you, I was not disappointed. I loved this book so much that the only sad thing for me is that it ended.

Vespertine is set in a dark world where the dead rise as spirits and where everyone, including the leaders, have secrets to keep. It’s a fast-paced story with plenty of unexpected twists, sarcastic characters, and a reluctant hero.

There’s a definite Sorcery of Thorns vibe to this book, even though the setting and characters are different, so if you loved that book, definitely check out Vespertine. As much as I enjoyed Sorcery of Thorns, I liked this one even more! There are plenty of plot twists in this book, and while I certainly saw some of them coming, I was pleasantly surprised by several. Either way, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and absolutely did not want to put the book down. I even fell asleep reading it one night because I just refused to stop.

My Thoughts

- Welcome to Loraille, where the dead do not rest. Fasten your seatbelts, because you’re in for quite a ride. Vespertine is fast paced. Not so much that you can’t breathe, but enough where you definitely won’t want to put it down because you need to find out what happens next. I recommend resisting the urge and putting it down, though (pro tip: falling asleep while reading on the couch is not comfortable, even though it definitely should be).

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I loved this world! The dead rise as spirits, and their classification and order depend on how strong they are and the way that they died, which makes good sense. Of course, in order to combat these spirits, other more powerful spirits have been forced into objects and wielded by the clergy with the hopes of holding the restless, sinister spirits at bay. It works . . . well, about as well as you may imagine.

I went in thinking this would be a standalone, like Rogerson’s previous books, and was so excited to realize it’s going to be a series! Thank goodness, because I am not ready to leave this world just yet. If you’re into darker worlds (not scary, just dangerous), then you will love venturing through Loraille.

- Our protagonist, Artemisia’s, social awkwardness is a nice trait to have in a hero (well . . . as a reader. Not so much for the hero, I suppose) and ridiculously relatable. Also a little bit funny, but only because I’ve definitely been there. Despite trying in earnest to say the right thing, the look of horror on your conversation companion’s face shows that you’ve missed the mark. Repeatedly.

If you’ve ever struggled with social interactions, you will definitely relate to Artemisia. Perhaps not the best mark in a hero, but in her defense, she is a reluctant hero, trying desperately to do the right thing. Even though being in the city causes her panic. Even though she shuts down and freezes when too many people crowd around her. As you might imagine, being a hero is a real inconvenience for her.

Reluctant heroes are my favorite, and as you might imagine, it’s pretty easy to root for Artemisia. She’s just a teensy bit broken, like the rest of us, but manages to pull herself together to do amazing things.

- Artemisia isn’t alone on her quest, either. She happens to have a revenant along for the ride, and it’s not entirely happy with humanity at the moment. (And who can blame it, really?) In fact, that’s kind of why Artemisia is in the trouble she’s in. Revenants are powerful spirits, and she’s untrained, which could spell disaster. Especially if the revenant overtakes her and manages to fully possess her, which would allow it to unleash unspeakable things upon humanity. You know, like death, suffering, and horror. Soooo . . . maybe not as unspeakable as I’d thought? Huh.

Anyway, everyone knows the first rule of controlling a revenant is you’re not supposed to talk to it. Except Artemisia. Because she’s untrained. So they’re thrust off together as the most unlikely dynamic duo, neither trusting the other, and boy do I love it. The tension is palpable, the stakes are high, and there are so many ways this can go wrong.

- I know I’ve already mentioned the revenant, but honestly, it is freaking delightful. Powerful, sarcastic, utterly disillusioned with humanity. I mean, what’s not to love about it? Okay, sure, it’s a slightly homicidal spirit who might potentially wipe out swaths of humans because it can. But we all have our flaws, am I right?

It may come as absolutely no surprise at all that the revenant is my favorite character. It’s a little horrified at the idea of needing to spend so much time around humanity again, because humans are stupid and disgusting, and I feel like that’s a pretty fair assessment. Mostly, the revenant just says what we’re all thinking, and I really appreciate his role as voice of the masses. Even if the masses are currently trying to destroy him.

- The thing I love most about Rogerson’s work is the way she plays with the notions of good and evil, and Vespertine is no exception to that. It’s certainly not as simple as black and white. Like all major things in life, it’s complicated. There are no good guys and bad guys in this book, just people (and spirits) stumbling around blindly trying to live their best (undead) lives. Everyone’s suspect, and no one is quite as they seem, which adds a layer of uncertainty and excitement to an already gripping plot.

Books involving ghosts in any way have always appealed to me. Add Margaret Rogerson to that mix, and this book was guaranteed to be a win for me.

4 stars

wow! Rogerson keeps showing me why she one of my favorite YA writers. her books just click for me every single time and this one did not disappoint. I loved how gritty it was and that no one is perfect. the writing was fantastic and I really hope there's more from this world to come.

Unfortunately, I really struggled to engage with Vespertine. I found the magic system very chaotic; it was easy to get lost with how much there was to remember, especially when it wasn’t wholly explained, but rather was spread out in crumbs throughout the book.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed how gritty the book was, partly through the world building and partly through the characters. The malevolence of the revenants (the spirits) was similar to Rogerson’s grimoires in A Sorcery of Thorns (in that there is a hierarchy of their severity).

Artemisia was a likeable protagonist and it was effortless to root for her. Rogerson illustrated the hardship Artemisia had endured so well, it made me a little emotional. As the story went on, Artemisia’s character and her role in the story, gave off vibes similar to ‘Sankta Alina’ in Bardugo’s Ruin and Rising.

The repertoire between Artemisia and her revenant (the entity possessing her) was the best part of the book. I wholeheartedly agree fans of Tom Hardy’s Eddie/Venom dynamic would love this.

Rogerson is a very talented writer, which is undeniable when one compares Sorcery and Vespertine. Both demonstrate the true quality of her authorship and versatility. It’s just regrettable I didn’t enjoy Vespertine nearly as much as Sorcery, and I don’t see myself continuing with any sequels.

Thank you kindly to the publishers for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Brimming with the same magic as Rogerson's other novels, VESPERTINE is a story of saints and sinners and some people who walk the path of both at one time.

I enjoyed this book. I thought it had great pacing and I loved the magic system and world building. I look forward to reading more by the author.

I’m always so enthralled by Margaret Rogerson’ s lush fantasy stories, and this one is no exception. The deep imagery, good pacing, and incredible world building really delivers in this latest book, and I found myself swept away by it in one glorious sitting.

Margarent Rogerson's books have been hit or miss for me. I wasn't a huge fan of AN ENCHANTMENT OF RAVENS, but I was obsessed with A SORCERY OF THORNS. The plot for VESPERTINE had me intrigued and ready to dive in immediately! I enjoyed this book but something felt missing for me. I didn't connected to the plot or characters like I expected to and the ending was a little lackluster. I know this is just the beginning of of the story so things weren't meant to wrap up by the end. I will definitely be reading the sequel.